I can relate and sympathize. After my first manic episode and hospitalization, it was hard for me to come to terms with the diagnosis. But then, a year and a half later, I suffered another manic episode and could no longer deny that I was in fact Bipolar.

One thing made it particularly difficult for me to accept that I was ill: other people and their prejudice against mental illness. So many friends of mine from high school and college didn’t want anything to do with me when they found out I was Bipolar. It’s really, really sad how our society not only misunderstands BD but often actively discriminates against those who suffer from BD and other illnesses.